Namo Thassa Bhagavato Arahato Samma Samma Sambuddhassa)———///
(I pay homage to the blessed one, the worthy one, and the Fully Enlightened One)
Jayam Veram Pasawathy,
Dukkham Sethi Parajitho,
Upasantho Pasansethi,
Hitva Jaya parajayam.
( The stilled Person having given up both Victory & Defeat Lives in Comfort).
Dear Friends in Dhamma with Metta. I begin the second sermon of the explanation of the Contemplation of (4 foundations of Mindfulness). today. This is the practical investigation into the practise of Sati or Mindfulness in daily life. Recalling the previous Dhamma discussion we made an effort to discuss the bonding effect of Sati into one’s daily life including the meritoriously advantageous effect on one’s life. To begin with , in cotemplation Sathipattana one achieves 2 main goals such as(1). Tranquillity (Samatha) of the mind (2). & the insight or the deep understanding (Vipassana) of the mind . This above mentioned explanation was done by me at the previous sermons conducted. Therefore my suggestion was to start the development of Sati or Mindfulness in daily life even prior to commencing the practise of meditation.While talking to someone or doing daily tasks it is best to be with Sathi or Mindfulness. Deshana. 2. Page 2.follows as——Thinking or Planning also can be done effectively with Sathi or Mindfulness. In the past Sermons I have reminded my worthy Dhamma friends that all verbalizations done mistakenly (Mithya Vacha or Wrrong Speech) should be corrected to Right Speech or ( Samma Vacha)& pardoned as soon as possible. If it is not corrected as mentioned above it will remain as an uncontrollable habitual happening. If one habitually repeats the mistake of wrong speech or wrong doings one must mindfully correct oneself with Metta & forgiveness to oneself & others.
Now considering these worthy Sublime qualities of Metta as mentioned above are a great blessing to one’s daily life. In addition developing Sati or living in the present moment is a sublime quality preached by Lord Buddha. Therefore it is quite supreme to be mindful Sati or to be in the present moment. So this above mentioned sublime quality will be progressively helpful for one’s meditative life or the meditation exercises . If one sits for meditation without laying the foundation to mindfulness, one will start the meditation with a restless mind of one’s past, present & the Future leading to an unsuccessful meditative practise. In addition I suggest one to live a life with no expectations such as to help others without expecting any returns or even with One’s own existence never to expect any reuturns.
expecting results in return one expects the highest achievement as in an educational examination result. As a resultive example with this with the above mentioned type of expectations one processively begins an element of craving, longing or Tanha over riding the non clinging or the neutral type of feelings one innocently may have had before disproving the impermanant nature of the mind having its own creations. One will not be peaceful, but restless until & unless one achieves these expectations of the brilliant results from the so called examinations. As an example if one sits or walks in meditation with the so called restlessness one would not lead to a process of successful meditation, by not being able to be in the present moment , as one would only be preoccupied with the quality of previously mentioned uncontrollable longing or the expectations of Tanha or Craving or Lobha. If one does not give preference to the present moment ( Also has an impermanant nature) one cannot accept the reality & the Clarity of the mindfulness. Which means one will not give an ear or listen or trust the clarity of the present moment leading to mindfulness with Sati Sampajanna or Clear Comprehension of Sati. Or if one is in an angry mood or in doubt of one’s destined good feeling, one will not be able to realise the ignorant condition of the so called angry or the doubtful thoughts. Also the same person will really want to do the genuine practise of meditation mindfully & not get entangled with the already conditioned wrong thoughts process.
But the above mentioned person may not be clearly aware of what he wants to do & in reality what should be done. As an example this so called person with preoccupied & doubtful expectations such as “an example of Jumping into water for a swim carrying the bag on his back “. (Causing anger on realisation as the normal nature of most humans ) leading to the previously discussed situation of meditation to be of an unsuccessful achievement. It is best to avoid high expectations of any or happenings or behaviours or doing a tasks in one’s life because one can always find an easy path to settle problems with in practising tolerance and patience. This is why I chose the topic with the Dhammic stanza of ( jayang Verang Pasawathi —————/)as mentioned at the beginning leading to the meaning as(The stilled Person having given up both victory & defeat lives in comfort). Successs or victory in normal life means inviting enemity. Loosing or unsuccess in normal life means causing Dukkha ,or Domanassa. In fact Lord Buddha has taught us to be in the middle path meaning in Upekkha. I explain that Upekkha means equanimity or the capacity of the mind without being touched or influenced by the all embracing space.Or else in simple language victory & defeat & the whole nature of the Universe is impermanant. Therefore the realisation & acceptance of this changing nature can be called. Upekkha. It is best to accept the life’s nature by continuing to understand the changing nature of Life’s existence with no clinging & no Anger. Never give up anything in disappointment or Embrace anything with clinging. Best nature to adopt is to be satisfied with what One gets to oneself with clear comprehension or Sati Sampajanna.
When one begins to accept & get satisfied with the present moment, gradually one leads towards the cessation of Sakkaya Ditti ( Means the delusion or the wrong view as one’s body & mind are one & one’s own). I stated that according to Buddhist Analysis the so called Sakkaya Ditti creates for oneself, for others, for the family,as well as for the society a lot of problems accordingly due to the fetters or the so called Sanyojana such as sensual craving, ill will, Conceit, wrong views , Sceptical doubt, Clinging to mere rules & rituals, Craving for existence, Envy, Stinginess & ignorance. Instead the one who ceases Sakkaya Ditti or the Self View begins to realise the value of the peaceful existence of oneself without the above mentioned delusions.This peaceful existence could be helpful to all beings. Therefore I stated to the dear friends in Dhamma in addition to the practise of Meditation of Mindfulness one has to be of a recollective mind to write the progressive report of each individual Bhavana session written in a note book namely the Kammatthana report & revise it prior to the start of the next Bhavana session. When one practices this so called method one will learn to develop the image of no selfview by observing mindfully the way of the changing nature of one’s own mind. But one should not get satisfied with this momentary achievement subject to change. Because it will create a tendency of urgency to hurry the Bhavana procedure. This condition is noted as craving or Thanha causing wrong expectations of a speedy achievement damaging the progressively developing mind In addition I ( Ven . Madavi) also state an important point. Dear friends in Dhamma Lord Buddha with his experience of 4 Asankeyyas & 100,000Aeons ( Sara Sankya Kalpa Lakshayak) teaches us to avoid clinging to everything , to give up expectations mindfully, let go of (Volitional elements) meaning to Sandkaras of good & bad of the past, present, & the future existence. Meaning to live with Mindfulness or Sati Sampajanna. Clear comprehension of Sati.This is the worthy teachings of Satipattana or the 4 Foundations of Mindfulness taught by Lord Buddha. Because people have so much experiences of good & bad in existence the meditator might think that one is leading to get some worldly benefits out of meditation. Great Arahat Sariputta taught one the beauty of the non competitive existence with others but always to be of a mindful competitive mind with oneself by being unselfish,forgiving with tolerance. Human Attitude is always to compete with others with no mindfulness. What one has to practise is Mindfull Awareness, unselfish ness, Alobha (Generosity), Adosha( Non hatred) Amoha(Wise or non ignorant) , non clinging or no upadana, Realising the gravity of unsuccessful expectations,of existence leading to a peaceful life. (Gravity of unsuccessful expectations are Dukkha. Domanassa. ) In this previously stated manner one would lead a life of peaceful , trouble free, ready to let go of clinging, not claiming of ownership to any level of existence with no ego. Dear friends in Dhamma stated by Ven Medavi describes as above , the path of meditation to a full success gradually leading to Nibbana acccording to Lord Buddha To fulfil the existence of a peaceful life leading to Nibbana ,one has to be mindful in one’s daily life. With this initiation of daily mindfulness one leads to a successful foundation of Sati or Mindfulness.’ This above mentioned progressive practise of Mindfulnes has to be developed intentionally from the start. With this so called beginning of the daily practise of Mindfulness, it will be easy to progressively & processively commence mindfulness at the meditation exercises with no distractions disturbing the mind, due to the solid foundation laid to the practise of daily mindfulness at the beginning. Now observing the previously mentioned process of mindfulness leading to the realisation of the progressive mind or Pragna(wisdom) causing the gradual cessation of the Self Image would lead to Right Thought, ( Samma SANKAPPA)Right Speech, ( Samma VACHA), Right livelihood( Samma AJIVA), Right Bodily Action (Samma KAMMANTHA), & Right Effort ( Samma VAYAMA),. This means with the contemplation of the Right View(Samma DITTI), will develop & from this point to Clear comprehension of sati or Sati Sampajanna .Now continues to develop Right Speech( Samma VACA), Right Bodily Action( Samma KAMMANTHA), Right livelihood ) Samma AJIVA), With Right Effort(Samma VAYAMA) & then to live a life with mindfulness leading to Sati Sampajanna or The Clear Comprhension of Sati. Comprehending of the above mentioned process of progressive mindfulness further in reality is the development of Sathipattana with its worthy direction to the Noble Eight Fold Path leading to the extinction of suffering. I as explained before & now that Lord Buddha’s great words are Ceto Vimutti & Pnna Vimutti the 2 kinds of deliverance via wisdom are achieved by practising the contemplation of Satara Sathi Pattana or the 4 Foundations of Mindfulness successfully achieving the extinction of suffering meaning to the realisation of the Worthy & Universal Noble Eight Fold Path.
Another side of the successful existence of life is without following the ignorance of the mind blindly Whatever one has to do should be done within one’s own ability & capability with no hindrance to the so called self & to the others., This so called living also means the realisation of the Satara Satipattana by the worthy development of practical aspect of the same. By this above mentioned practical aspect of Sathipattana one leads to the so called Bare Attention or the (Apakshapathie Nirikshanaya) in one’s life. In this Bare Attention in the span of life one would be subject to one’ S own wise decisions making Right Speech , Right Mindfulness, Realisation of the good & the bad of a Volitional thought process or the mind ( Sankharas of ( Punnabhi. Meritorious. Apunnabhi. Demeritorious & Anenjabhi. Imperturbable (calm) Sankharas) leading to a peaceful & exemplary life to the so called self & others. This above mentioned wise change into one’s life taught by the practical experience of the contemplation of Sathipattana. As I explains as the above mentioned practical aspect. Of Sathipattana always following the middle path ( Being the realistic middle path in Buddhist philosophy “Avoiding the 2 extremes of Self gratification & the Self Mortification meaning to the Noble Eight Fold Path) ., But the realisation of life’s contentment according to Buddhism leads to the acceptance of The Eight Worldly Dhammas (Nature) namely (Ashtaloka Dhamma) 1 Hope for gain & fear of loss 2. Hope for pleasure & fear of pain. 3. Hope for good reputation & fear of bad reputation 4. Hope for praise & fear of blame., Having applied this so called formula in Dhamma as a meditator one should sit for meditation with a carefree attitude to accept the present moment with Upekkha meaning to an undifferentiated sublime acceptance of any situation such as., whether the Bhavana is successful or not, disturbed or not. Ana Pana breath felt or not. Should lead to an acceptance of the situation with Sati leading to clear comprehension of Sati. By this above mentioned situation one will individually understand the action & the reaction of each attraction or the distraction that one goes through while meditating. Meaning to how the so called objects of mind & matter of contact or (Sparsha) attract or distract us every minute. And when the Contact or the cause of the event ceases the effect of it ceases too. As an eg., I f a dog barks disturbing one when the dog stops barking or goes away the disturbance stops.This so called situation is known as Cause & Effect or ( Hetu Pala). With these so called experiences one will one day achieve peaceful living with realisations achieved. Therefore My expectation is with these above mentioned Bhavana instructions May U all friends in Dhamma universally be blessed with success to the utmost .
Sadhu Sadhu Sadhu
Theruan Saranai
(Jinam Wandama Gotamang)
I worship Gothama the Sage.
(Support for the Translation by Mrs.Kusuma Jayasinhe Sunday Dhamma Discussion Group)
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